Keishi
by Shadow Fox's dreams
Summary: What it mean to be a noble in Soul Society, to be the heir to a noble family, to be a Kuchiki? Betrayal, intrigue,…
1. Chapter 1

**_Looking for Beta-reader for this and my other Bleach story. Warning: non-native English user, so gramatical mistakes more than likely _**

****

* * *

****

Title:**Keishi (Heir)**

Summary: What it mean to be a noble in Soul Society, to be the heir to a noble family, to be a Kuchiki? Betrayal, intrigue,…

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Dreaming. He knew he was dreaming, but it felt so real. He could clearly hear the running nude feet's noise on the hard wood floor, and feel the hot, dry air and bright, shiny midday sun on his skin. The birds sing and the small creek's babble noise made everything seem so peaceful. He skidded to halt before the soiji screen, he raised his hand to knock on the door, when raised voices filtered thought the thin paper door. His curiosity perked, he eased the soiji screen open a bit, just enough to be able to look inside. Blood splattered the walls and door, he felt something warm hitting his face. He just stood there and stared, frozen in his place as one of the man fallen to his knees, the man's sword clattered on the floor, as he chuckled. "So it came to this." chocked voice rasped out, his dark haired obscured his face from the view. But he knew who the man was. His hart clenched painfully in his chest, as he breathed out the man's name.

"Father."

Suddenly a dark form stepped in his sight of view; he somehow almost forget the other man's present, he couldn't tear his gaze from the bloody sword, it swing lightly as it's owner walked toward him. He raised his eyes slowly to be able to see the man's face.

Long dark locks framed the man's pale face, and emotionless, empty grey eyes, the man looked straight in his eyes, his hart skipped a bit. His instincts screamed to him to move, he staggered backward, just in time to avoid the deathly blade as it slicked thought the door and the place where he stood just a second before. Paper and wood pieces flow in all direction, the ruined door hanged limp in its frame.

His father's killer stood before him in his full glory, the sun glittered on the blade. The man smirked and stepped toward him, his whole body froze, and his limbs didn't obey him anymore. His body shocked as the man towered over him; cruel, twisted smile grazed the man's face as he looked down at the boy.

He couldn't, he didn't hesitate anymore, his body moved to its own accord. He sprinted thought the silent garden.

-----------

Byakuya woke, his eyes fluttered open and the dream was just a dream again. He sat up on his futon, his long, silken, ebony hair fluttered around him in the early morning breeze. He rose to his feet and moved to his dressing table. His fingers lingered on his comb, as he glanced up to meet his reflection's gaze in the mirror. For a moment, he saw his dream's emotionless, empty eyes, before they faded back to his own darker blue-grey eyes. He averted his gaze and picked up his comb.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: **Keishi (Heir)**

**Summary****What it mean to be a noble in Soul Society, to be the heir to a noble family, to be a Kuchiki? Betrayal, intrigue,…**

**-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 2**

Rukia smiled at the back of her two hothead friends. They, Renji and Ichigo, walked fast before her; they already were a good few feet away. It was one of their silly competitions, to prove who knew what. Rukia would swear you couldn't leave these two alone for a minuet without they jump to each others throat.

Despite that, she really enjoyed the time they spent together; it always brought back the good old memories when she, Renji and their childhood friends from Rukongai were still together. They were somehow if not easier, but surely simpler times, without the weight of the world's problems on their shoulders. That was way she cherished every moment she could spent in the real world. These problems always seemed so far away from here. She sight and looked up to the piercing blue sky. Everything looked so peaceful in Karakura Town; it was really good to be here again, even if only for a short while.

The only warning she got was that unfamiliar reiatsu suddenly spiked up at her right. She danced out of the black shuriken's way, which flow toward her with reiatsu influenced speed; her years of training enabled her to avoid the probably killing blow, but it still nicked her arm.

Her hand automatically flow to her wound, she pressed down on it to stop the bleeding. She jump out of the way of some another flying projectiles.

She heard Renji's and Ichigo's worried calls as they rushed toward her, trying to reach her, to help her, but they never reached her, they were stopped by other attackers. She couldn't spear a glance to her friends without risking getting hit by one of the shuriken. She started to worry, her movement considerably slowed down; her movement wasn't as fast and accurate as before, and she couldn't leave her gigai, in spite of how much she tried. She stumbled, her vision swam, and all her energy needed to just stay on her feet. That was when a black clothed figure appeared before her, her eyes couldn't follow the man's movement anymore. The man wore kicked her off her feet.

As soon as she fallen she tried to get back to her feet. She rolled away, trying to maintain the distance between them. She managed to get to her feet, before she collapsed back to the ground, her legs didn't obeyed her any more, her hand felt limp at her side.

She frowned; she didn't understand what was going on with her body, she suddenly felt numbness spreading through her body. She wanted to scream, to demand her uncooperative limbs to obey but even sound didn't come from her throat. She started to panic; she was a prisoner of her own body. _What the hell's going on? Why these things always happen to her?_

She could still comprehend through her fading consciousness as her attacker kneeled down by her side, took her unmoving body up in his arm and whispered in her ear, so just she could hear it.

"I'm so sorry, Rukia-sama."

-----------------

Renji reacted as soon as he felt the unfamiliar reiatsu; he turned toward the possible attack, his hand flow to his pocket to be able to change back to his shinigami form. He saw from the corner of his eyes as Ichigo changed too. Both of them hurried toward Rukia.

She was forced to move away from them, they almost reached her. But as Kuchiki Taicho loved to say almost isn't enough. They were cut off from her, when the enemy made their move.

Their attackers easily outnumbered them. Renji couldn't take out exactly how many of them were there, but Renji was rapidly forced away from Rukia. He sensed Ichigo near his back, they were surrounded. His gaze swiped over the masked man's around him. Their faceless attackers wear the same black clothes.

Renji barely was able to ward off one of sword strike, while he tried to step out of the way of a shuriken. These guy's were good, they easily reached in skill and speed some of the lower seated officer's level.

They shouldn't be the problem, even with his power seal on, but their mere number was enough to over power him and Ichigo. Their enemies' attacks came so fast, they hadn't even got enough time between them to call forth their shikai if they didn't want to lose a limb or two. He slicked through the web which tried to trap him, while tried to avoid a spar which still glided only a few inch away to his face, cut off few mope of red hair.

As suddenly the attack started the same way it ended too, veil of smoke appeared around then, covering the street, making their eyes water and made them chock on the slightly toxic air. When they could see clearly again their attacker as well Rukia were gone.

Only a small piece of paper was nailed to a tree's trunk.

"Damn it, Kuchiki-taicho will kill me for this."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **I don't really good with Japanese names so I used some from other Anime series.

_**------------------------------------**_

**Chapter ****3**

A small boy waddled through the Kuchiki mansion's dark corridors. The dark haired toddler reached the dojo's open entrance; he peered inside through the open door.

He never saw the dojo before; he wasn't allowed to go there, he wasn't old enough, Papa said so. But the dojo sounded so mysterious and terrific when the others talked about it. And it really looked little awe-inspiriting, the only light came thought the closed shoji doors, making the look full of shadows. Only sound was the bamboo blades rhythmical contact as two fighters tried to over power each other. The dark haired toddler's eyes widen as he tried to drink in the others every move. He could sense the different kind of different energies swirling around him. His hair lightly fluttered around him.

He jumped in surprise when a large, warm hand settled on his shoulder. He glanced up to see his Father's stoic face, he wanted to spoke but his Father sharp look silenced him. The older man directed him inside, everyone in the dojo fallen silent at their entrance.

"Akito-sama" They bowed toward his Father and murmured respectfully.

"Setsu give your sword to Byakuya." His Father ordered, and one of the young fighters bowed and stepped forward with a little hesitation. The closing teen eyed the dark haired toddler little doubtfully. One of the elders cleared his throat and stepped forward. "Akito-sama, Byakuya-kun is still too young for this."

"You doubting my judgment, Mayuri." Akito growled, his dark-grey eyes flashed toward the older man.

"No. Of course not, Akito-sama." The older man hurriedly stepped back; he didn't want to incur Akito-sama's anger. Setsu passed his sword to Byakuya, and retreat back toward one of the wall.

The child-sized bamboo sword looked enormous in Byakuya's small hands; his Father kneeled beside the small boy and corrected the child's grip on the sword. Chubby fingers gripped the handle. Father and son's similar dark blue-grey locked for a moment.

"A sword isn't just a weapon, but a mean to survive. I don't expect anything more from you either… for now." He stood and pushed Byakuya toward the other fighter. The toddler stumbled forward; the sword's weight unbalanced him slightly.

----------------

The other fighter looked like to be in his mid-teens, the boy with his shoulder length, dark hair, grey eyes and slim complex, was a typical Kuchiki. The older boy raised his bamboo sword; his gaze flickered toward one of the Sword Masters of the Clan in hope for some intervention. But no help was forthcoming, so he took up one of the easier fighting stances.

"Go."

The word barely left one of the Sword Masters' mouth when the teen lounged forward, his blade swigged toward Byakuya, who clumsily hold up his sword. When the two blades contacted, Byakuya's arm shocked from the force, the bamboo sword flow from the clutch of his numb fingers. He gulped and stared up with frightened wide eyes at the teen. The older child took a step back, and lowered his blade.

"Shigure, did I say stop?" Akito's cold, indifferent voice ringed in the dojo. The teen whirled toward the next head of the Kuchiki Clan, his grey eyes reflected his disbelieve at the older man's request.

"No, but… "

"There is no but Shigure." Akito's eyes flashed, his gaze studied the teen. "Or are you not strong enough to bite such a small opponent?"

"Yes I am." Shigure angrily stepped forward.

"Then do it." The Kuchiki Heir roared, the silence was defeating in the dojo.

------------

Byakuya stood silently in the middle of that small drama, not really understanding what was going on. He could feel the tension rose in the arena, and he could feel that energy again, which made the small-hair on his arms and neck to stand up.

Then everything happened so suddenly, they were shouting at each other, he jumped when his father screamed at Shigure, mor from the exploding energies emerging from the older boy before him. Then the boy attacked him, swinging his blade toward Byakuya. The toddler stumbled backward, away from attack. Shigure didn't stopped, didn't waited for the small dark haired boy to regain his balance. Byakuya hit hard the floor after one of the swing knocked his from his feet. His left arm flared up in pain, his grey eyes watered and small tear-stream rolled down his chubby face.

He looked up, into Shigure's wild face, his usually perfect hair was massy, his eyes for a moment reflected the horror of what he had done. He slowly lowered his blade, and turned away from Byakuya before stalking out of the dojo, leaving a moment of total silence in his wake.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**Thanks for the reviews, I really appreciate them. Oh and still looking for beta.

_**------------------------------------**_

**Chapter ****4**

The 6th division was really quiet without the loud mouthed Vice-Captain. Byakuya wondered when Abarai became such an integral part of his division's life. The red head wasn't too long with the 6th division, and even less with him as his lieutenant. But Renji's present was missed.

Certainly not by him, but going by the loud sighing coming from young Rikichi, the boy surly missed his idol. The young shinigami reminded Byakuya of a lost puppy, who was wandering around aimlessly. It was that and that lot of unfinished paperwork which made him took the boy as his… aid? helper? for the time being.

It surely helped to take the boy's mind off from Renji's absent and eased Byakuya's workload as well. It was a perfectly logical solution for all involved, even if the sulking young man behind him didn't think so. If Byakuya wouldn't have been a Kuchiki, he most probably would have smirked.

It was great to head back to the Sixth Division's headquarter, after a long day. They were on road all day, Byakuya didn't know the last time when his duties called him to so many places at the same day.

Oh well, Abarai wouldn't be gone for long; when he is back he would be able to take over most of the 'running around' part of their duties. Although Rikichi was a great help, his rank just wasn't high enough for most of the errand a Captain or a Vice- Captain was entailed to do.

On the other hand when Abarai and Rukia get back, his peace, quiet and silent solitude would be surly gone. They always find a way to bug him, to visit him, to talk to him for one or other reason. He never understand why did they do that, but if he remembered right, Hisana did the same. Maybe it was a something people from Rukongai did, he surely hoped not. Byakuya shivered the thought of Captain Zaraki visiting him daily, with his pink haired demon on his shoulder.

His musing was interrupted; he glimpsed a flash of metallic from the corner of his eyes. It was headed toward him with great speed. His muscle tensed ready to side-step the closing danger, only Rikichi close present stopped him from flash stepping away. The boy was just a few steps behind him if Byakuya moved now without warning the young shinigami, he most probably would have walked in the line of fire without knowing it. He couldn't let Rikichi die. No, not because he cared, only because it would have been too much paperwork after all.

He made up his mind in a flesh and grabbed Rikichi's collar as he flash stepped backward; metal arrows bedded in Seretei's white road along his escape route. Metallic cracking noise echoed far in Seretei's quiet. Byakuya pushed his subordinate out of the way, as he side stepped another arrow attack.

-----------

Rikichi slid backward on his knees from the force, Captain Kuchiki pushed him away. For a second he couldn't comprehend what just happened, he was just walking alongside his stony Captain, when…, when someone grabbed him, he felt like he was flying backward, hitting the floor hard enough to leave burses. He blinked; as he looked up he saw the arrows lodged inside the road, when that happened? How? Who?

He saw his Captain standing a few meters before him, before Kuchiki-taicho's reiatsu washed over him, robbing him from his breath for a moment, as he was almost pressed into the ground. He couldn't help to be awed by the sheer power of the noble.

Captain Kuchiki's long dark hair and white haori fluttered around him as he released his power. Then the man disappeared from before Rikichi's eyes, he saw it once before, the famous flash step. But it still surprised him when Kuchiki appeared on the rooftop on the other side of the square. A figure jumped out of the way of the noble's blade, Rikichi could barely saw the dark clothed archer's feature, before the man let go of several arrows in different direction. Rikichi didn't see what the man targeted, neither could he see his Captain, he presumed the man could.

The noble flash stepped behind the archer and slashed toward the man. Blood splattered around them in every direction, it painted red the dark haired man's pale face and white robe. The archer was able to move the last second to avoid the deathly blow, and staggered away from the Captain's another attack, the archer fend of the blade by the bow and stabbed forward an arrow, aiming to Kuchiki-taicho's stomach.

A frightened cry escaped Rikichi, as he stared wide eyed at the unfolding events before him. Only seconds could have past but it still seemed like forever to the young shinigami. He didn't saw clearly what happened next, he didn't knew if the archer managed to stab his Captain or not, but suddenly there were three more black clad men around Kuchiki, surrounding him, attacking him from all direction at once.

It was like watching a deathly dance, every fighter moved, blades flashed in the sunshine, Kuchiki Byakuya dodged, bypassed the swords that slashed toward him, parrying and trusting his own blade toward one of his enemy then the other. Blood splashed up occasionally, then suddenly Shenbonzakura scattered. Some of the pink petals formed a shield, which seemingly automotive moved, fending of the closing blades. While others formed around the Kuchiki heir's hand, slicking like a blade through one of the attacker's hand, making him lose his long sword.

Byakuya turned his shield blocking one of the shuriken, while his left hand moved to ward off a sword. From nowhere an arrow seeped toward the dark haired man, who calmly deflected it toward the sky. Kuchiki-taicho's calm, deep voice drifted toward Rikichi.

"You are a fool to challenge me inside Seretei."

"It's not really a challenge." the archer sneered from another rooftop where the man went to escape the fight. "It's a massage actually." Byakuya frowned, his emotionless faced faded for a moment.

"What are you playing, Masahiro?" Captain Kuchiki's steely grey eyes locked with the archer's. The man just laugh, he didn't sound too sane to Rikichi, and then he abruptly stopped.

"Your head, my dear Kuchiki-sama."


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you for reading and reviewing. Hope you will enjoy this part too.**

A/N:_ Memory scans _are written in the story, in italic.

* * *

**Chapter 5**

Byakuya noticed when Masahiro's dark eyes flickered sideway for a moment, and then an evil grin spread over the archer's thin lips. Byakuya knew his time was up; if he wanted to find out why Masahiro and his men attacked him and gain some sort of sense of what was to come, he needed to act now. He had no doubt these men were sent to hold him up, the only question was why.

He made up his mind; he let his sense gingerly starch over the space his opponents' occupied. Shenbonzakura hummed in his mind, whispering of blood, death, and destruction. He could feel against his skin as the pink petals vibrated with her excitement.

"Oh my, my, how fast time fly when you are enjoying yourself, wouldn't you say so Byakuya-sama. But it must come to end." Masahiro's mocking voice echoed around the battle field.

"It seems so." Byakuya smirked then he flash stepped behind the opponent at his back, for a second the petals formed a solid short blade in his hand as he stabbed the man thought the chest. As soon as he released the man, the blade dissolved back into its petal form.

A faint reiatsu from behind his back alerted him to an upcoming attack; he raised his hand protectively over his neck and turned half way toward his next attacker who managed to snake up on him while he was occupied by his previous opponent.

The man's blade clashed with the petals formed shield which covered Byakuya's left hand. The dark haired Captain raised his right hand, and hundreds of petals surged forward, slicking into the man, wounding him gravely, but not fatally.

He hadn't had enough time even to wait for the man to hit the floor, before he unleashed the petals like a whip toward the closing enemies. They managed to avoid the first strike of Shenbonzakura's deathly petals, side stepped the petal-whip as they speeded toward Byakuya, their weapons out, ready to fight.

Byakuya frowned, he concentrated to be able to direct more precisely the petals, and at his will Shenbonzakura transformed her petals to several whip-like lines. They twisted, danced at Byakuya's will as they surged toward the closing attackers, some of the petal whip missed their target, only to form a web, trapping his opponent between the crossfire of hundred petals.

Byakuya slowly pulled his fingers close, the petals miming his hand's movement; they surrounded the two, attacking men, trapping them in a deathly prison, as his hand closed into a fist, their screams washed over the silent square.

The sixth division's Captain saw something flickered in and out from the corner of his vision; he turned his head toward it, to be able to further investigate the source of this disturbance. He found himself face to face with Masahiro, their gaze locked for a second. Byakuya marveled that in spite of everything, all the change the man went through over the years. Byakuya could still see in him, the glimpses of the boy with whom he grew up. Not that he had much time to wonder on such a thing, if he wanted to avoid the killing blow that was getting too close for his liking.

He recalled Shenbonzakura. The Zampacto retook its sword form in just time to slow the blow, but it was not fully stabilized and so unable to stop it fully. He could feel the petals vibrating in effort. Shenbonzakura warning call signed when the blade give away, his grey eyes widen as Masahiro's blade appeared from behind Shenbonzakura's fallen apart form. Byakuya side stepped the incoming blade, barely avoiding the killing trust. His side flared up with pain as Masahiro's sword nicked his side.

Byakuya flash stepped away, giving the needed seconds for Shenbonzakura to reform her sword shape. Before Masahiro was against on him, this time his sword easily stood against the next attack. As their swords clashed again and again, their face was just centimeters away. Byakuya could clearly saw the madness flaring up in Masahiro's eyes as he snarled.

"You will die; I will kill you, as you killed my Father."

_Byakuya didn't know what woke him up, but the felt there was something i__n his room that shouldn't be there. He didn't react immediately; he pretended he was still asleep; he peered through his slit open eyelids. He glimpsed a blurry shape of a man standing over him. His hand immediately started to inch toward his hidden dragger that was under his pillow. The only thing illuminating his room was the moon's pale light, which reflected back on the man's eyes as well the sword which appeared above him. It flashed toward him with deadly speed from the darkness. _

_Byakuya moved with instincts drilled into him by his __Father and Instructors, he was sitting and trusting the dragger forward before the motion even registered in his mind. Something warm ran down on his small hand, dripping onto his white blanket, forming a dark puddle on shit. Not that he saw any of it, his eyes were trained in shocked disbelieve on the man's face. The face which was achingly familiar, it belonged to the man who became his mentor and protector since he turned 3, the man's who was the father of his best friend, Masahiro. _

_A faint smile graced the instructors face, before he fallen to the floor. Taro Kuchiki-sama wasn't anymore._

Shenbonzakura vibrated in his hand and mind, at her Master's distress and distraction; calling his attention back to the present battle, soothing Byakuya's mind.

His moment of inadvertence was enough for his opponent to get an upper hand in their fight, Byakuya staggered backward from the other man's forceful attacks, each blow was fuelled with Masahiro's full strength, and controlled reiatsu. Masahiro dodged his counterattack, the man swept Byakuya's leg out from under him, making him fall t the floor.

_Masahiro stood over __4-year-old Byakuya, the older boy's dark eyes looked flat and his face emotionless. Suddenly the reddish haired boy smiled and held out his hand for Byakuya to take. The younger boy stared hesitantly up at the offered hand and the one who offered it from his place on the floor. He pushed himself up a bit and hesitantly took the offered hand._

Byakuya rolled away from the incoming blow that was aimed at his head, with a fast sideway roll he was on his feet again and without hesitation he leaped forward, swinging the fully materialized Shenbonzakura in a wide arc.

Metal clashed with metal, two powerful opponents joined in the battle of skill, and strength. Killing instincts rolled off in waves of the two combatants and washed over the nearby streets. Their gaze looked in heat of the battle, and an old memory flashed in Byakuya's mind.

_Two boys clashed against each other with all their strength, and talent. Fierce, determined grey eyes locked with amused, dark blue. The older boy swiftly turned his joint, unbalancing Byakuya, who stumbled forward from the force of his attack._

"_My, my Bya-kun," Masahiro's amused voice chimed from behind the 5-year-old. "Such a fierce temper and scary face, If I am not careful you will scare me one day."_

_Byakuya narrowed his eyes and screwed, before he lunged toward the older boy._

Their power flared up, as they jumped apart. They rushed toward each other with full speed, their swords clashed together again and again, they were barley able to be seen by the onlookers, and their reiatsu seemed to made the very air crack and rumble.

Shenbonzakura slid over Masahiro's blade, Byakuya twisted his joint, side tracking the other's sword. Shenbonzakura slid easily toward Masahiro's body, piercing the older man's body. Warm blood scattered over, painted red Sereite's white ground as surely as Byakuya's once white haori. Byakuya's gaze followed the blade, it seem like everything happened in slow motion as he looked up, his gaze met Masahiro's. Their eyes locked for a moment, and Byakuya could see surprise, pain and disbelieve in those eyes before they turned glassy.

Masahiro staggered forward to Byakuya chest, his nearly lifeless body went limp in Byakuya's arm. The Kuchiki heir reached out and studied the fallen man, keeping his body uptight while unconsciously pulled the man in a one-armed embrace, while his other hand still held Shenbonzakura in a rigid grip.

He could clearly saw, smell and feel as the other man's life force slowly slipping away. Something felt wrong, like something was breaking, like he was losing something. His fingers unconsciously tightened even more on the man's clothes and his eyes felt like they would burn, he blinked to easy the burning sensation. One lone teardrop escaped and slid down his cheek...

_He was running, as far as h__is legs could take him and when his strength run out, he fallen to his knees and screamed. He screamed out his pain and soul-eating sorrow, with the silent, dark night as his only witness and the pale moon as the only one who saw his streaming tears wetting his cheek. _


End file.
